GANDER, NL - my final chapter!?!?

Well, I am much delayed on my promised final post from my Gander adventures, but thank goodness for the expression, 'better late than never', otherwise I would be in t-r-o-u-b-l-e!?!?!

So I can hardly believe it. I am officially an old person. How do I know this, or why do I think this you may ask? Simple. Because all I want to say is that with each passing day, the time flies by more quickly. And only old people say that, right!? But with age comes wisdom (I hope) and never a truer statement has there been. I am honestly shocked at the way my summer assignment flew by in the blink of an eye. Here we are, back in Winnipeg a few weeks into my second and final year of The Salvation Army's CFOT (College for Officer Training).

There is too much to say and no adequate words to adequately communicate the influence and the impact my summer in Gander has had over my life and my future ministry potential. Since I can't talk about it all, I am going to focus on a few highlights. But for this particular post (Pt. I), I am going to talk about labels.

LABELS

Some labels are ultra-recognizable... there are symbols that seem to cross all language barriers and cultural divides. McDonald's, Coca Cola and Nike (I perhaps optimistically like to think even The Salvation Army shield?!?!). All of these are symbols known around the world; as a marketing tool they are highly effective. These labels have sight recognition for the young and the old, male or female, and regardless of creed or colour they are known the world over. But as I left Gander almost two months ago, I realized that I have made the mistake of allowing others to place labels on me - more importantly, I've placed many of these labels on myself.

Example

One particular label I have given myself is that I am *not* a crier. Although there were long periods of my life where this has been true, 'not crying' or 'being a stubborn Brit' does not define who I am. It had almost become like a badge of honour over the course of my life, but I realized it is nothing to be proud of - and quite honestly, *not* who I am anymore. I don't cry on every occasion, but I do cry. Especially when I allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in my life. And lemme tell you, God has been busy - especially over the course of my summer and since my return to CFOT. The tears have been flowing.

The conclusion: I am Joyce. A strong independent woman who sometimes needs to have a decent cry... The difference is, I am finally a-okay with it (and willing to admit that I do it). Forget the labels - we should allow ourselves to be who we are - who God has called each one of us to be. The book I was reading over the summer talks about finding our identity in Christ - and what struck me (though not particularly profound) is that it is more important to find out who God wants us to be than trying to maintain the impression that others have of us.

Think about yourself and your life. Have you been cast with a label? Are you known as 'the funny one' or 'the joker'? Do people call you the 'academic' or 'the pretty one'? Are you solely defined as a 'father' or a 'wife'? An 'officer', a 'cadet', or a 'single'? I encourage you to not allow yourself to be limited to a singular dimension or to be confined by how you have always been labeled, but instead to continue to allow yourself to be all that Jesus wants you to be - whatever that looks like. That is what my summer in Gander taught me - to not limit myself by holding on to old labels from the past, but to continue to grow into the person that God wants me to be.